I was gifted this door by my brother. He saw it at the local Bargain Bins and picked it up for $6 i think. I installed it this week cause we’re going away for 10 days and it’ll give my 14 hens some freedom to be in the fenced run all day. It has a pinch proof feature and it’s solar powered. The only drawback so far is that it hangs up when closing if there’s a bit of sand or scratch seed in the tracks. I’ve sprayed WD-40 on the door and it helps some. Thinking this was designed for chickens who wipe their feet at the door!?I'm having a new coop built for my ladies and was thinking of an automatic door. But, I'm seeing mixed reviews from doors made of plastic, to doors made with metal; doors that close on items they hit, to the point of a review that one decapitated a bird; doors with nice sensitive stops that won't crack an egg. All of this is leaving my head spinning. I live in CT near a large plot of wetlands; predators abound outside of my fenced yard. These include a pack of coyotes, fox, bob cats and coy wolves. I haven't seen any inside my fenced yard. I want a nice strong door for protection but I don't want one with a closure so strong it can seriously hurt my ladies. I'm new to BYC, new to chicken land and I'd really value any and all input. Thanks in advance.
I'm having a new coop built for my ladies and was thinking of an automatic door. But, I'm seeing mixed reviews from doors made of plastic, to doors made with metal; doors that close on items they hit, to the point of a review that one decapitated a bird; doors with nice sensitive stops that won't crack an egg. All of this is leaving my head spinning. I live in CT near a large plot of wetlands; predators abound outside of my fenced yard. These include a pack of coyotes, fox, bob cats and coy wolves. I haven't seen any inside my fenced yard. I want a nice strong door for protection but I don't want one with a closure so strong it can seriously hurt my ladies. I'm new to BYC, new to chicken land and I'd really value any and all input. Thanks in advance.
See below the solar auto-door I was gifted recently. Pinch proof feature. Dawn/Dusk or program the open/close time. Very sensitive to grit in the track. Maybe part of the anti-pinch setting. Can be turned off but i haven’t. If it encounters sand in the track it stops closing and opens. After a minute it tries again. Not sure if it will be dependable while i’m on vacation. I’ll have to train my fourteen hens to wipe their feet at the door i guess!?I'm having a new coop built for my ladies and was thinking of an automatic door. But, I'm seeing mixed reviews from doors made of plastic, to doors made with metal; doors that close on items they hit, to the point of a review that one decapitated a bird; doors with nice sensitive stops that won't crack an egg. All of this is leaving my head spinning. I live in CT near a large plot of wetlands; predators abound outside of my fenced yard. These include a pack of coyotes, fox, bob cats and coy wolves. I haven't seen any inside my fenced yard. I want a nice strong door for protection but I don't want one with a closure so strong it can seriously hurt my ladies. I'm new to BYC, new to chicken land and I'd really value any and all input. Thanks in advance.